Aerial flash-light machine



(No Model.)

B. 0. BROWN. AERIAL FLASH LIGHT MACHINE.

No. 605,572. Patented June 14,1898.

, firing.

' UNITED STATES PATENT Orricn.

EDMUND COTTING BROWN, OF ELLSl VORTH, KANSAS.

AERIAL FLASH-LIGHT MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 605,572, dated June 14, 1898.

Application filed July 31,' 1896. Serial No. 601,286. '(No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDMUND COTTING BROWN, a-citizen of. the United States, and a resident of Ellsworth, in the countyof Ellsworth and State of Kansas, have invented a certain new and useful Flash-Light Machine, of which the following is a specification.

Myinvention relates to a new and improved flashlight machine for photographic purposes.

The essentialfeatures of the invention are its ease of operation, compactness, increase of light from a given amount of powder, and the fact that from one line of powder it yields as wide and high a flame as other machines using several horizontal bars.

In the drawings hereof, Figurel illustrates a general view of the machine set ready for Fig. 2 illustrates the machine after being fired and the cord resting against the check-wire.

A A are two wood strips about three feet long, with one end squared to fit mortise in post B and the other end notched for holding the cord.

B is a wood post'mortised through from opposite sides at an angle to supportthe arms A A about twenty-two and a half degrees These holes maybe for the purpose of raising and lowering the I light.

D is a detachable base for supporting the post 13 and may be folded to facilitate transportation.

E E are two troughs for holding the flashpowder, and are fastened to the armsA A by a band at F F and a wire post at G G. The

wire posts are made of such length as to support the powder-troughs E E in a horizontal position when the firing-cord is-drawn down I and engaged with the lock 0.

H H are strips of wire-gauze stretched above and supported by wire posts fastened to the ends of the troughs E E and are intended to break the lumps in the powder as it passes through,.and being heated by the lampslI sets the powder on fire while in a scattered and suspended condition.

I I are lamps set along the edge of the troughs E E for the wire-gauze H H.

The trough at the top of Fig. 1 is in all respects similar to the lower troughs. It is fastened at the center to the shaft J, which rests 'upon and is operated by the spiral spring L, Fig. 1, contained in the cylinder K, Fig. 1. K is a cylinder fastened to the post B and supports the shaft J in an upright position and contains the spiral spring L for operating the shaft J when firing the machine. C is a circular lock out partly away on two opposite sides, one side resting on the trigger and the. other holding the cord and loop M, used for drawing down the arms A A and the sprin g L. On releasing the cord and loop the lock 0 revolves on a pin which fastens it to purpose of heating the .the post B.

I am aware that the plan of throwing flash powder upward from a small metal cup fastened to a metal tongue or spring is old; but

the principle of throwing a wide extending line of powder from three to ten feet long and making a flame from two to seven feethigh from troughs hinged or connected to a central support of wood and operated by elastic wooden arms or other springs resting in part against the central support and in part against the troughs, sustaining the said troughs at an angle of about twenty-two and one-half degrees above the horizontal, so as to give a quick upward movement when drawn down by the cord and released,is my discovery and invention.

I am also aware that stationary perforated combustion-pans into which flash-powder is dropped for firing are also in use; but the discovery of a sure and effective means of firing flash-powder when thrown violently upward in a scattered condition and at the same time breaking the lumps and separating the particles, as well as restraining the height of the flash at pleasure, is mine, and consists in adopting heated wire-gauze of differcut-size mesh, according to height of flame wanted, so placed that the powder when thrown must pass through the gauze,.which, being heated, (at certain intervals varying according to the length of time desiredinthe flash, one lamp being sufficient if a prolonged flash is wanted and thrcelamps on each arm making the flash instantaneous,) never fails to set the powder on fire.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. The combination in a flash-light machine of a central support, and a plurality of elastic wooden arms supported thereby in mortises formed at an angle of about twenty-two and one-half degrees above a horizontal plane.

2. In combination in a flash-light machine, a central post, a plurality of elastic arms supported thereby and adapted to be simultaneously operated by a bow-cord attached to their free ends, and a lock, trigger, and checkwire eooperatin g with said bow-cord.

3. Thecombinationinaflash-lightmachine, of a central post a plurality of elastic arms supported thereby, and simultaneously operated by a bow-cord attached to their free ends, and a powder-trough carried by each arm.

4. The combination in a flash-light machine of a powder-trough, a wire-netting supported above the trough, and means for violently throwing up the trough to force the powder through the netting.

The combination in a flash-light machine of a powdentrough, a wire-netting supported above the trough, lamps in said trough for heating the netting, and means for throwing up the trough, to force the powder through the netting, thereby igniting the powder.

0. The combination in a [lash-1i ght 1n aehine, of a post, a spring therein, a rod resting on said spring, a trough carried by said rod, a lamp in said trough, wire-gauze placed above the lamp to be heated thereby, and means for operating the spring whereby the trough may be thrown up, forcing the powder through the heated netting.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own invention I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EDMUND 00'1"ING BROWN.

\Vitnesses:

DE LEON Knnns, FRED LA'IHAM Gummnn'r. 

